1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a high-pressure feed line and a delivery system for the delivery, in particular of a gas, e.g., natural gas or hydrogen, from a refueling facility into a container, in particular a container of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention relates to a high-pressure feed line and a delivery system for the delivery, in particular of a gas, e.g., natural gas or hydrogen, from a refueling facility into a container, in particular a container of a vehicle at a refueling pressure of greater than 150 bar, preferably greater than 200 bar, in particular greater than 400 bar using such a high-pressure line. Pressures in the range of 150 bar to 400 bar, preferably 200 bar to 350 bar, in particular 200 bar to 250 bar are particularly preferred. These pressures are suitable in particular for the delivery of natural gas or hydrogen. A rapid and safe transfer of a gas from a pressure source, for example, from a refueling facility containing a gaseous medium, for example, natural gas or hydrogen, to a vehicle is to be achieved using delivery systems for gaseous media, e.g., natural gas, as described above. Simple, trouble-free operability is particularly important in this case, so that even at high refueling pressures of greater than 150 bar, greater than 200 bar, preferably greater than 400 bar, trouble-free handling is made possible, in particular in cooperation with a filling coupling. The filling coupling can be implemented as a quick-connecting coupling. In addition to the high pressures, a characteristic of such delivery systems or lines, respectively, is also the extreme temperature ranges in the plus and minus range of −50° C. to +120° C., in particular −40° C. to +85° C., under which the gaseous media, for example, natural gas, are guided into a container, in particular a vehicle tank.
In general, the filling coupling is connected to the refueling facility via a line, comprising at least one high-pressure line. The gas is conducted at high pressure from the refueling facility to the filling coupling and then into the vehicle via the line.
Parts of delivery systems, for example, rotary feedthroughs having a gas recirculation for filling vehicle tanks or high-pressure hoses are known, for example, from WO-A-98/05898 or WO-A-2005/121626 of the applicant.
In this case, WO-A-98/05898 describes a rotary feedthrough in conjunction with a filling coupling, the filling coupling having a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet as well as multiple valves to ensure a secure seal of the filling coupling. To compensate for the twisting of the connection hose on the filling coupling, a rotary feedthrough was provided in WO-A-98/05898. A gas recirculation via a second line is also provided in WO-A-98/05898. The system of WO98/05898 had the disadvantages of the relatively large installation expenditure and installation space, since corresponding connections had to be provided in each case on the rotary feedthrough and on the hose side.
WO-A-2005/121626 again discloses a rotary feedthrough having gas recirculation. Furthermore, WO-A-2005/121626 also discloses a line, the recirculation line being arranged coaxially to a high-pressure line in the line. However, in WO-A-2005/121626, the line is designed in such a manner that the high-pressure line extends in the interior of the line or the hose and the gas recirculation extends in the outer region of the hose.
The content of the disclosure of both WO-A-98/05898 and also WO-A-2005/121626 is incorporated in its entirety in the present application, without requiring an express reference thereto.
The hose or the line, respectively, disclosed in WO-A-2005/121626 had the disadvantage that the gas recirculation occurred in the outer region of the hose or the line, respectively. As a result, the entire hose changed its dimensions in the event of ventilation, in particular also changed in length, which resulted in leak-tightness problems. In addition, the diameter of the line or the entire hose, respectively, was very large, since the internal high-pressure line had a minimum diameter of ½ inch. The weight, the size, and the difficulty in handling caused thereby of the hose according to WO-A-2005/121626 resulted as disadvantages therefrom.
A line for lower pressures is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,404, in which a second line having smaller diameter is guided in the interior of a first line having large diameter. Both lines can transport different fluids. The line having large diameter is connected to a vacuum source and a liquid, for example, water, is conducted in the internal line. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,404, the line having large diameter, i.e., the external line, comprises a spiral-shaped reinforcement, in contrast thereto, the internal line is a non-reinforced line made of an elastomeric material.
A hose assembly having a support spiral is known from DE-C-28 32 763. The hose shown in DE-C-28 32 763 is a thin-walled hose for low pressures. In order to prevent buckling of such a hose because of the thin hose wall, DE-C-28 32 763 proposes a support coil lying inside the hose. Because of the thin wall, the hose known from DE-C-28 32 763 is not suitable for high pressures.
DE-C-195 46 659 describes a device for refueling a vehicle, liquid cryogenic fuel being conveyed from a pressurized conveyor tank of a vehicle into the storage container of a vehicle. The cryogenic fuel is preferably LNG or methane and is supplied in the liquid phase to the storage container. This is performed at low pressures or normal pressure and very low temperatures, preferably of −163° C.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,858 discloses a delivery system for liquid fuels, e.g., diesel fuels, the hose assembly comprising a first line having large diameter and a second line, lying inside the first line, having small diameter. The liquid fuel is conveyed from the storage container to the fuel nozzle in the internal second line. The first line having large diameter is used to exhaust fuel gases or fuel vapors. The delivery system known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,858 is in the field of conventional liquid fuels and is not suitable for an application for gases, which are guided under high pressure from a storage vessel to a tank connecting piece and therefrom into a vehicle tanks.